Easy Gut Health Smoothie (Dietician Approved)

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If you are looking to nourish and heal your gut you need to try this gut health smoothie filled with natural prebiotics, probiotics, fiber and vitamins to fuel your digestive health. It’s naturally sweet with a creamy texture and is perfect for breakfast.

What is the difference between a prebiotic and a probiotic?

Prebiotic

This is food for your bacteria in your gut. It is a type of fiber that is indigestible by the human body. Prebiotics help feed and promote the growth of probiotics in the gut, thus improving overall gut health.

Examples: bananas, oats, apples, flaxseeds, and more

Probiotic

Live bacteria that help promote a healthy balance of good bacteria in the gut.

Examples: Fermented foods like yogurt, kombucha, kimchi, miso, and more

Vegan yogurt: Make sure to check your yogurt that it has the added probiotic benefit. Not all yogurts contain live cultures.

What bacteria should vegan yogurt contain?

The two most common bacteria:

• Lactobacillus.
• Bifidobacterium.

Can a smoothie actually help your gut?

I want to disclose that this recipe is not medical advice, however it is a recipe for those wishing to improve their fiber, probiotic, and prebiotic intake. Dieticians and other health care experts emphasize the importance of including a variety of fruits and vegetables to naturally support your gut and overall health. This smoothie contains a diverse amount of natural ingredients that are known to support healthy gut flora.

If you have persistent digestive issues such as bloating, constipation, diarrhea, abdominal pain, or more please see your healthcare provider. There are numerous health conditions that can produce digestive issues including irritable bowel syndrome, leaky gut, and more.

Ingredients & Health Benefits

• Frozen banana: You need one medium-large frozen banana. I recommend frozen because it will create a creamier texture to your smoothie. Bananas have natural sugars and are high in fiber to support good gut health
• Old-fashioned oats: High in fiber which supports a healthy digestive tract
• Plant-based yogurt: You can use any plant-based yogurt you like such as almond, soy, oat, or coconut yogurt. Just make sure it has probiotics. Check the label for active cultures. You can also use plant-based Greek yogurt for more protein.
• Plant-based milk: Use your favorite plant milk such as almond milk, soy milk, or coconut milk. I prefer sweetened in this smoothie.
• Peanut butter: High in protein and monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats. Can actually help regulate blood sugar levels.
• Chia & Ground flax seeds: High in protein, omega-3 fatty acids, and fiber
• Fresh Ginger: Ginger has prebiotic and anti-inflammatory qualities. Make sure to remove the skin on the ginger. No need to mince your ginger for the smoothie-the blender will do it for you!
• Turmeric + black pepper: Turmeric has anti-inflammatory properties

Why do you need to take turmeric and black pepper together?

You should always consume black pepper with turmeric. Black pepper contains a compound called piperine, which can enhance the absorption of curcumin, the active ingredient in turmeric. The common recommendation is that you need 1/4 tsp of black pepper per 1 tsp of turmeric to increase its absorption.

▶︎Looking for more nutritious and healthy smoothies and recipes? I’ll bet you didn’t know dandelions actually have tons of health benefits! Check out this list of dandelion recipes including smoothies, bars, teas, and more!

What type of blender should I use?

You can use a single serving blender (such as a Nutribullet or Nutri Ninja) or a high speed blender like a Vitamix. You will need to blend the oats first into a flour and then add in the other smoothie ingredients, blending on high for a few minutes.

Substitutions & Variations

• Try out a different nut butter like almond or cashew. For a nut-free version use sunflower butter.
• Add in other seeds like hemp seeds or pumpkin seeds for more protein.
• Try other frozen fruits: blueberries, strawberries, raspberries and more!

Make this a green smoothie:

• Add 1/2 cup fresh spinach
• Other optional add-in’s: pineapple, cucumber, kale, coconut water, and more!

▶︎Make this smoothie even better! You can add orange peel powder that has lots of vitamins and nutritional value! You can even add tofu to smoothies for more protein (like in the easy tofu smoothie!)

FAQ

For another delicious health-boosting smoothie or drink, try out this nutrient-packed kale beet smoothie or this cranberry detox water! This ginger lemon cinnamon tea is packed with anti-inflammatory ingredients and this Starbucks medicine ball or Immunity bombs will help rejuvenate you if you are feeling under the weather!

Try out these other healthy breakfasts!

▶︎Tofu in a smoothie? Yep, silken tofu smoothies are super creamy and delicious! You definitely want to try this one out!